As new construction projects are on the rise, students often question the current parking situation at WTAMU. They request asphalt maintenance and more parking space.

This semester WTAMU has reached a record high enrollment.

According to a press release on the WTAMU website, West Texas A&M University has its highest enrollment ever. The University’s 12th-class-day fall enrollment figures have surpassed the 8,000 mark, breaking last year’s number with a record 8,389 students.

With enrollment on the rise, there is need for additional parking. Aside from marking space, it also needs a better one.

“Parking is definitely an issue that needs to be taken care of. Instead of building things such as Victory Circle, that money should be put on more parking spaces and lots closer to campus,” Cody Wilson, freshman Musical Theater major said.

“It needs to be taken into consideration, when I drop my girlfriend off at Cross Hall there are three or four huge potholes and every time I try to avoid them and they’re unavoidable, and that can cause serious damage to someone who owns a smaller car,” Wilson said. Issues like these need to be addressed with something like a foundation crack repair before damage sand accidents may unfortunately occur.

Another student weighs in on the parking issue.

“I try not to move my car, so that I still have a parking spot,” freshman, Tabitha Conner, said. “I’m afraid I wont find a parking spot if I move it.“

“It’s pretty crowded out there.  This parking lot out here (FAC parking lot) is in terrible shape with all of the pavement coming up,” Professor Robert Hansen, Director of the School of Music, said.

“What I don’t like is when I have to leave campus in the middle of the day. When I come back there is no place to park and I have to park far away; it’s an inconvenience. Just being here early enough is the way to solve the problem,” he said.

However the explanation could be in the funding.

“Basically what it comes down to is that our cost of parking is undervalued. We pay forty dollars to park per year and we have a shuttle service, whereas other universities pay significantly more for parking per semester and don’t have the enmity of a shuttle service such as ours,“ said student senator and senior business management major Jose Lopez.

In comparison to WTAMU parking, some schools are charging more annually for a parking pass.

According tothe Texas A&M University_Commerce website, their parking pass is priced the same as WTAMU at $40.00.

There is a significantly higher price in parking permits for some universities.

There is an alternative option, as the student Body President weighs in on the situation.

“I support the shuttle bus system; it is quick and easy for students to use. We have the space, we just have to use it,” Leif Knippers, sudent body president, said.